[44 years after Feuer's departure, Third POV]
As the years rolled on, the world had changed in countless ways. Now, just one year before the arrival of the next Era Meteor event, a certain horse-drawn carriage made its way along a winding dirt road toward the Royal Capital. Inside the carriage, a white-haired elf sat calmly, her gaze fixed on the book in her hands.
"Miss Frieren, we're almost arriving," the coachman called out, his voice cutting through the soft ambiance of the passing scenery.
After hearing this, Frieren marked her place in the book, closed it gently, and placed it back into her suitcase of grimoires she had accumulated over the years. She looked up, her gaze drifting toward the growing silhouette of the capital in the distance.
Yet, her journey wasn't destined to end in the bustling kingdom. Instead, her destination lay on the outskirts, where her family home was located. As the carriage started to slow down and ultimately came to a halt, Frieren gathered her magic staff and suitcase before preparing to disembark.
"This is your stop, Ma'am," the coachman announced, nodding toward the open road.
"I know," Frieren replied as she stepped out of the carriage.
As she took a few steps, she carefully scrutinized the familiar surroundings until her family's house came into view. The tranquility of the area contrasted with the easygoing life she had left behind, and she found herself experiencing a hint of nostalgia.
"After four decades, the place looked just the same," she murmured to herself as she briskly approached her house.
Swoosh~ Swoosh~ Swoosh~
The moment Frieren stepped into the front yard, the rhythmic sound of air whirling met her ears. She turned to see a young man with blue hair, vigorously swinging a sword. The figure was facing away, obscuring their identity.
"Himmel, is that you?" Frieren asked as she walked closer.
The young man turned around upon hearing her voice, showing pointed ears hidden beneath his blue hair. "Oh, Mom, welcome back."
Frieren's eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't her husband she was addressing, but rather...
"Siegfried?"
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In an unexpected turn of events, Frieren found herself standing still, her gaze fixed on her son, Siegfried. He set his sword aside and walked towards her with a wide grin.
"Mom, it's been a long time," he affirmed, enveloping his mother in a warm embrace.
Frieren hugged him back, her heart swelling with a mix of pride and emotion. "Siegfried, you have grown so much."
"Yeah, I hear that a lot," he replied with a hearty laugh.
Though he still bore a youthful appearance, there was an unmistakable air of experience and growth about Siegfried. Frieren could even feel the burliness of his arms as he hugged her, a reminder of the years that had shaped him.
Later on, they pulled away from their embrace, and Frieren took a closer look at her son. His blue hair and handsome face, inherited from his father, and his pointed ears marked him as part of her family, yet his demeanor was distinctively his own.
"I didn't expect to see you here," Frieren commented, her gaze sweeping over the well-kept yard and the modest home. "For a second there, I thought you were your father."
Siegfried giggled awkwardly. "Well, you're not the only one who's made that mistake, Mom. A lot of people say the same thing."
"Is that so?" Frieren contested, her curiosity piqued. "And where is your father, then?"
Creak...
In response to her question, the front door of their house swung open, and came out a bald old man with a long beard. Frieren widened her eyes again as she identified the person.
"Himmel, is that you this time?" she asked, her voice tinged with slight disbelief.
The old man chuckled softly. "Let me guess, you thought Siegfried was me, didn't you?"
"Give me a break," Frieren protested with a pout. "He looked exactly like you when you were younger, Himmel. It's not fair..."
When she commented, both the father and son burst into laughter, their eyes sparkling with amusement. Despite feeling offended by their reaction, Frieren couldn't help but laugh along, embracing the warmth of their family reunion.
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After the heartwarming occasion, Himmel gestured for his wife and son to come inside. They complied and walked through the door, stepping into the welcoming comfort of their home.
Once inside, Frieren settled onto the living room sofa, enjoying the consolation of her familiar surroundings. Meanwhile, Siegfried engaged himself in preparing tea, a task he had learned over the years. Himmel, on the other hand, sat next to his wife, appreciating her company as much as he could.
"So... After all these years, you've finally come home," Himmel remarked, his voice filled with a bit of nostalgia.
Frieren nodded, sharing the same sentiment. "Indeed, I almost forgot to do that if weren't for the task of retrieving the Shadow dragon's horn I had told you to keep."
"Oh, that thing," Himmel sighed wearily. "It has been hidden in the storage room for years. So much so, that it emitted a strange aura endlessly."
The two couples continued talking to each other, trading information about what occurred on both sides of their story. Frieren informed him that she had been collecting magic grimoires from around the central continent so she could share them with Siegfried.
"So, you've kept that promise, Mom," Siegfried noted, placing a tray of freshly brewed tea on the table as he joined his parents' conversation.
"That's correct," Frieren confirmed as she picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. "How about you, Siegfried? What have you been doing all these years?"
Hearing that question, Siegfried rubbed his chin thoughtfully before responding, "Well, over the past four decades, I've been quite busy."
He shared stories of his experiences, detailing the various adventures and achievements he had pursued. From his involvement in magical research and innovations regarding fire magic to his expedition in multiple dungeons with a party that he later disbanded.
"Hmm, that's odd," Frieren pondered. "You've been traveling too? Then why didn't we cross paths during my travels?"
"I've been wondering the same thing," Siegfried replied. "Perhaps we were so engrossed in our journeys that we didn't even notice each other."
Himmel chuckled as he listened to the conversation. "I suppose there's something you two elves had in common after all."
With that opinion, Siegfried and Frieren both pouted at the old man but they let it slide this time. Later, they started to talk about their plans for the future, making sure that everyone was ready for the occasion.
"I just remembered," Frieren began, "the Era Meteor event is going to happen next year."
"Ah, that's right," Himmel responded. "We should remind Eisen and Heiter about this event."
Siegfried, eager to contribute, spoke up. "Mom, Dad, I can handle that. It would be easier if I go to their place and make sure they're informed."
Frieren smiled, pleased with his effort. "That would be very helpful, Siegfried. Thank you."
With plans set, the family continued their evening, appreciating the comfort of each other's company as they caught up and prepared for the challenges ahead.
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With a year remaining before the Era Meteor event, the family of the Hero and the Elf Mage had plenty of time to reconnect and strengthen their bonds.
The days that followed their reunion were filled with shared moments of happiness. Frieren, with a suitcase of grimoires, shared her stockpiled knowledge of magic with Siegfried. Magic such as defensive barriers and the ability to fly were added to his repertoire.
"Damn, these would have been useful in my journey," Siegfried grumbled, a hint of frustration evident in his voice. "Too bad I can't turn back time to fix all my mistakes."
Frieren smiled softly, placing a delicate hand on her son's head. "It's alright, Siegfried. There's no need to dwell on the past. Use these new skills to shape a better future."
"Mom, I'm not a kid anymore," he protested, attempting to brush her hand away.
Later on, Siegfried excitedly presented his newly acquired magic spells to his mother. Among them were temperature manipulation, ultra-hot laser beams, and artificial light creation. Not only that, but he even tinkered with the Zoltraak spell, turning it from a demon-killing spell to a dragon-killing spell.
Frieren examined the new spells with great interest. "These innovations are quite impressive, Siegfried. You've truly made significant strides in your magical studies."
"Thanks, Mom," Siegfried beamed with pride. "It took me a couple of years to experiment and refine my magic spells, which is rather tedious yet rewarding."
"I'm not sure 'tedious' was the correct word to describe the amount of time you have spent in making those spells," Frieren argued. "We're elves. Time works differently for the both of us."
While Siegfried began to contemplate her mother's reasoning, Himmel spent most of his time connecting with his elf wife. Despite not showing expressively, Frieren felt genuinely bad for leaving her family behind.
"Hey, Himmel," she called out while sitting next to her husband on the living room sofa.
Hearing his name being mentioned, Himmel responded, "Yes, what is it?"
"It feels strange to say this, but…" Frieren said, meeting his gaze. "I want to repay you."
"Repay me? For what?" Himmel asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"For leaving you and Siegfried behind," Frieren mumbled, lowering her gaze. "You can ask me to do anything to make up for my selfish request."
"Hmm, let's see..." Himmel pondered deeply. "Oh, I know!"
"??"
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As time passed, with only a few months left before the big event, a surprising development occurred. It all began after Siegfried completed his daily sword practice.
Feeling ready to take a break, he headed back inside the house, intending to slouch onto the living room sofa. However, when he arrived, he found his mother already sitting on it with an unusual smile, flanked by his father, who wore a similar expression.
"Uh... Mom, Dad, what's with the smiles?" Siegfried asked, his voice tinged with concern. "It's kind of creeping me out."
"Oh, hello there, Siegfried," Himmel greeted with restrained excitement. "Well, you see…"
Siegfried followed his father's gaze to Frieren. With a gentle smile, she rubbed her belly and announced, "We're having a new family member."
"Excuse me, what?!"